Stroke of Midnight
Stroke of Midnight (2004) — Anthology Genre and Sub-Genres PNR / UF Theme Love and the supernatural at night Description Stroke of Midnight is an anthology of four contemporary paranormal romance/urban fantasy novellas featuring vampires, werewolves and shapeshifters. ~ Stroke of Midnight - Book Review - The Hope Chest Reviews Authors Contributors: Sherrilyn Kenyon (PNR, UF), Amanda Ashley (PNR), L.A. Banks (UF), Lori Handeland (PNR, UF) Settings *Atlanta — "Winter Born", Dark-Hunter *New Mexico — "Make It Last Forever", Vampire Huntress Legend *Arizona — "Red Moon Rising", Nightcreature Supernatural Elements Were-Panthers, werewolves, skinwalkers, vampires, psychic powers, Dark-Hunters, Were-Hunters, Native American mythology, Navaho magic List of Stories To expand the table, right-press on a row of the table or (Control-press on a Mac)—choose add row. Synopsis by Story "Winter Born" by Sherrilyn Kenyon — Dark-Hunterverse #6.5 COVER: Two enemy Were-Panthers discover that fate has destined they become lovers. Pandora must learn to trust Dante's foreign nature. But as she slowly succumbs to the truest passion she has ever known, dark forces have already set out to reclaim her. ✥ SYNOPSIS: Because of a pact between her Arcadian panther pack and a Katagaria panther pack, Pandora Kouti was taken from her home in the future and brought to the present to mate with the male Katagari and care for their young. The human in her is frightened of the panthers' violent natures, and she manages to escape their pack. Pandora travels to Atlanta in search of Acheron, the famed Dark-Hunter who her sister said might be able to help her return home, but before she can find him, her mating heat attracts the attention of four Katagari panthers. Dante Pontis is one of the Katagari males who smells Pandora's intoxicating scent in the air. He has no intention of mating and tries to ignore it, but his animal instincts force him to track her down. After an afternoon of intense passion, Dante can't help thinking that being mated to Pandora might not be so bad. When the mating mark appears on both of them, it seems they are fated to be together after all, but the pack from which Pandora escaped won't let her go so easily. ✥ "Born of the Night" by Amanda Ashley COVER: When Lady Shanara Montiori is taken hostage, she learns that the rumors about her captor are true. Lord Reyes is afflicted with the dark curse of the werewolf. Still, Shanara can't fight the attraction they both feel. Will their love break the curse-or feed its powerful hold? ✥ SYNOPSIS: Lady Shanara of Montiori finds herself kidnapped by Lord Reyes following a battle he waged in vengeance against her father. Shanara had heard the dark rumors of Reyes being cursed to run with the wolves at the full moon, but she wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen him change into the beast with her own eyes. Shanara has every intention of escaping her captor, but when she finds him wounded in his wolf form, pity and curiosity win out, leading her to help the poor creature. Shanara's kindness stirs unfamiliar feelings in Reyes, and his desire for her leaves him yearning for something that can never be. For Reyes has made a vow never to marry as long as his curse will be passed on to his offspring. ✥ "Make It Last Forever" by L.A. Banks — Vampire Huntress Legend series #3.5, COVER: An innocent mistake forces the beautiful Tara onto a mission to save herself from the dark fate that awaits her. Salvation comes in the form of a seductive biker with a heart of gold. But will surrendering to their ripe attraction unleash a danger even she cannot control? ✥ SYNOPSIS: Tara made one innocent mistake and now a dark fate awaits her. On her deathbed, Tara's mother made Tara promise to go to her Native American grandmother in New Mexico, who might be able to free her from what the future now holds. On her way there, the bus Tara is traveling on breaks down at a seedy tavern where Jake Rider and his biker buddies have stopped for a drink. The moment she lays eyes on Jake, Tara's psychic powers reveal that her destiny is inextricably linked with his. When they are set upon by creatures of the night, Tara must place her fate in Jake's hands, but when the darkness begins to take her, will Jake be able to get her to New Mexico in time to save her life? ✥ "Red Moon Rising" by Lori Handeland — Nightcreature #1.5, COVER: Novelist Maya Alexander's peace is shattered when she is stalked by a Navaho skinwalker who has taken on the guise of a wolf. Her only hope is the mysterious Clay Philips. In his arms, she seeks protection-but as the red moon rises, no one is safe from the danger that lurks nearby. ✥ SYNOPSIS: Maya Alexander is a best-selling author of action-adventure novels. After experiencing writer's block, she escapes to a cabin in a remote area of northern Arizona near the Navajo reservation. For the past several nights, Maya has felt like someone, or something, is watching her from the shadows and every morning she sees wolf tracks at the edge of the forest. Then one day, she is nearly attacked by a wolf, but is saved by a tough guy in army fatigues who reminds her of her annoying brothers. Clay Phillips has been tracking a skinwalker who takes on the form of a wolf. Ever since his family was murdered by werewolves he has been hunting them down for a secret government agency. Clay knows the skinwalker is out to get Maya, and he is equally as determined to keep her safe. He just didn't expect to fall for the feisty, curvaceous beauty in the process. ✥ Sources: * From the cover — Goodreads * Winter Born - Book Review - The Hope Chest Reviews Cover Artist Artist: none listed Publishing Information * Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks * Book page: Stroke of Midnight | Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L.A. Banks & Lori Handeland | Macmillan * Book data: Mass Market Paperback, 368 pages, Published November 2nd 2004 by ISBN: 0312998767 Cover Blurb Winter Born by Sherrilyn Kenyon — Two enemy Were-Panthers discover that fate has destined they become lovers. Pandora must learn to trust Dante's foreign nature. But as she slowly succumbs to the truest passion she has ever known, dark forces have already set out to reclaim her... Born of the Night by Amanda Ashley — When Lady Shanara Montiori is taken hostage, she learns that the rumors about her captor are true. Lord Reyes is afflicted with the dark curse of the werewolf. Still, Shanara can't fight the attraction they both feel. Will their love break the curse-or feed its powerful hold? Make It Last Forever by L. A. Banks — An innocent mistake forces the beautiful Tara onto a mission to save herself from the dark fate that awaits her. Salvation comes in the form of a seductive biker with a heart of gold. But will surrendering to their ripe attraction unleash a danger even she cannot control? Red Moon Rising by Lori Handeland — Novelist Maya Alexander's peace is shattered when she is stalked by a Navaho skinwalker who has taken on the guise of a wolf. Her only hope is the mysterious Clay Philips. In his arms, she seeks protection-but as the red moon rises, no one is safe from the danger that lurks nearby... About the Authors Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L.A. Banks & Lori Handeland In the past two years, New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon has claimed the #1 spot twelve times, and since 2004, she has placed more than 50 novels on the New York Times list. This extraordinary bestseller continues to top every genre she writes. With more than 23 million copies of her books in print in over 30 countries, her current series include: The Dark-Hunters, The League, Lords of Avalon, BAD Agency, Chronicles of Nick and Nevermore. A preeminent voice in paranormal fiction, Kenyon helped pioneer and define the current paranormal trend that has captivated the world. She lives with her husband, three sons, a menagerie of animals and a collection of swords. Amanda Ashley is the author of paranormal romances including Everlasting Kiss, A Darker Dream, Embrace the Night and Everlasting Desire. L.A. Banks is the author of the Vampire Huntress Legend series and the Crimson Moon Novels, including Left for Undead and Never Cry Werewolf. She had a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and a master’s in fine arts from Temple University. Banks considered herself a shape-shifter. She wrote romance, women’s fiction, crime and suspense, and of course, dark vampire huntress lore. She lived with her daughter in an undisclosed lair somewhere in Philadelphia. Lori Handeland is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the Nightcreature Novels, including Moon Cursed and Crave the Moon, as well as The Phoenix Chronicles and Shakespeare Undead. She is the recipient of many industry awards, including two RITA awards, a Romantic Times Award for Best Harlequin Superromance, and the Prism Award from Romance Writers of America. She lives in Wisconsin with her family and a yellow lab named Ellwood. ~ Stroke of Midnight | Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L.A. Banks & Lori Handeland | Macmillan See Also * List of UF Anthologies — UF Anthologies * List of Anthologies — Single Author Collections and PNR Anthologies * List of Vampires of Urban Fantasy * List of Cover Artists * Urban Fantasy Links External Links Book: *Stroke of Midnight (Dark-Hunter #6.5; Nightcreature #1.5; Vampire Huntress #3.5) ~ GR *Bibliography: Stroke of Midnight ~ ISFdb *Stroke of Midnight ~ FF *Stroke of Midnight ~ Shelfari *Stroke of Midnight | Macmillan *Stroke of Midnight [Anthology by Sherrilyn Kenyon | LibraryThing] Sherilyn Kenyon's story is recently reprinted here: *Dark Bites (Dream-Hunter, #1; Hellchaser, #1; Were-Hunter, #1; Dark-Hunter, #2.5, 2.6, 7.5, 9.5, 9.6, 10.5) by Sherrilyn Kenyon Excerpts and Freebies: *Winter Born | Sherrilyn Kenyon ~ Excerpt and character profiles *STROKE OF MIDNIGHT - Mandy's Madhouse Home of Romance Author Amanda Ashley Characters, World, etc: *Stroke of Midnight ~ Shelfari Series & Story Pages: *The Dark-Hunterverse series by Sherrilyn Kenyon *"Winter Born" story by Sherrilyn Kenyon *Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon *Were-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon *Vampire Huntress Legend series by L.A. Banks *Nightcreature series by Lori Handeland Author Pages for Book: *Winter Born | Sherrilyn Kenyon ~ Excerpt and character profiles Characters, World, etc: *Love at First Bite by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Ronda... ~ Shelfari Author Websites: *Sherrilyn Kenyon | The Official Site *Lori Handeland *Mandy's Madhouse ~ Home of Romance Author Amanda Ashley *LA Banks passed away a few years ago and her website is no longer active. ISFdb Author pages; *Sherrilyn Kenyon - Summary Bibliography *L. A. Banks - Summary Bibliography *Lori Handeland - Summary Bibliography *Amanda Ashley - Summary Bibliography Goodreads Author Pages: *L.A. Banks (Author of Minion) *Sherrilyn Kenyon (Author of Fantasy Lover) *Amanda Ashley (Author of Midnight Pleasures) *Lori Handeland (Author of Blue Moon) Other Links: *Dark World of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunters, Part 2 by Tori Benson Reviews: *Stroke of Midnight - Book Review - The Hope Chest Reviews *Review: Stroke of Midnight Anthology | I'm Loving ♥ Books *Eye on Romance | Bringing you everything Romance -Stroke of Midnight (Anthology) *The Book Gourmet: Review: Stroke of Midnight (anthology) Category:Anthologies Category:Vampires Category:Skin Walkers Category:Werewolves and Shifters Category:Native American Magic Category:Set in Southwest and Mexico Category:Set in Atlanta, GA